How to Make Floral Craft Arrangements

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26-08-2021, 12:30
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Decorating with flowers is a great way to add instant life and color to a room. The principles of floral design can be used when working with fresh flowers, dried flowers, fake flowers and paper craft flowers. Choose flowers you want to use, a pretty container, and optional ribbon or other decorative accents. Read on to learn how to make floral craft arrangements.

Preparing Your Design

  1. Choose flower and foliage colors. Whether you want to accent a room in your home or decorate for a special event, you'll need to choose your colors carefully. Choose between 1 and 4 different colors that compliment each other well.
    • For a bold look, go with just one bright color, like an all-crimson bouquet.
    • Mix it up with green foliage for a natural effect.
    • Think of yourself as a painter when you're deciding which colors accent each other. Consider referencing a color wheel to help you make your decision.
    • You can't go wrong choosing your favorite hues. If they make you happy, you'll be happy with your flower arrangement, so don't feel constrained by traditional choices.
  2. Sketch out a version of the floral arrangement you would like to create. Use a pencil, paper and some colored pencils to achieve a rough sketch before you visit a florist or craft store. You don't have to draw a perfect representation of what you want, but sketching it out will help you figure out what type of look you're going for.
    • Are you looking for a natural, hand-picked effect? You'll want a variety of colors, shapes and textures.
    • For a more formal arrangement, you could stick with one type of flower in classic shape.
    • If you're decorating for a holiday, you may also want to add seasonal items such as cornucopias around Thanksgiving or snowmen cut outs that can be placed in a vase.
    • Decide whether you will have a vertical or horizontal arrangement when you conceptualize your floral design. A vertical design often features a taller vase with flowers extending higher in the center and lower around the edges. A vertical design has a shallower vase and looks to place flowers slightly higher in the center and drape them out toward the ends.
  3. Decide what container to use. The container can make as much of a statement as the flower arrangement. Determine what size and shape you'd like the container to be. Here are a few options:
    • Traditional glass vases highlight the beauty of the flowers without standing out too much.
    • Vases or boxes made of ceramic, wood, aluminum, and other materials also do quite nicely for a floral craft arrangement.
    • Consider using a mason jar, an old ceramic jug, or another item you already have on hand to add a personal touch to your arrangement.
  4. Visit a floral market or craft store for supplies. Now that you have your plan in order, it's time to gather your supplies. Depending on what type of arrangement you're making, you'll need some or all of the following items:
    • Several types of flowers
    • Greenery, such as ferns and moss
    • A foam block or florists' frog that fits into your container
    • Other accent pieces, such as buttons, ribbons and/or seasonal décor.
    • Florist's tape in green, white or clear

Making Your Arrangement

  1. Be sure the frog fits in the bottom of your container. A frog at the bottom of your container will anchor the stems of your flowers to keep them in place.
    • If the frog is a bit too small, you can cut a piece of floral foam to achieve the same effect. Soak the foam for a few minutes to soften it. Trace the bottom of your container onto the foam, then use a utility knife to cut out the shape. Place it at the bottom of your container.
    • You can skip this step for fake flower arrangements, since they tend to stay in place without help.
    • If you don't have a utility knife, you should be able to cut through the frog with a scissors.
  2. Make a grid with tape. If you are using a large, decorative bowl as a container for your flowers, having a tape grid over the opening will also keep the flowers and other elements from moving. Place half a dozen tape pieces going horizontally across the opening, and half a dozen running vertically. This will allow you to secure the flowers in an orderly design.
  3. Get your flowers ready. Clip off leaves near the bottoms of the stem with scissors, to remove bulk and help them stay fresh longer. Use a diagonal cut to trim the flowers to the desired length. The shallower your container is, the more you will have to clip.
    • Consider cutting the stems of different flowers to different lengths. This will add tiers to the floral design.
    • If you're unsure how much to trim, do a practice run and hold the flowers up next to your container in a bunch to estimate how tall each one should be.
  4. Place the stems into the container. Be sure the tips are wedged into the flower frog. Place the tallest, boldest blooms in the container first, then fill in the gaps with the other complementary flowers and you have chosen. Continue filling out the container until the arrangement looks balanced and complete.
  5. Turn the arrangement once it is mostly filled in with flowers. You will want to check its appearance from each side to make sure it is consistent. Fix any gaps with other flowers or remove flowers if it is too full.
  6. Add your greenery and decorations. Ivy, ferns or baby's breath accent the flowers while adding rich green hues to your design. Depending upon your design, you may want your greenery to surround your flowers at the bottom, drape down over the vase itself in a few places or sit up higher among the flowers.
    • You may place moss around the frog in places where you can see these items. For example, you can use moss around a frog in a see through vase or at the top of a basket arrangement.
    • Instead of using moss, you can fill the area around the frog with other objects. Consider buttons, glass pebbles, corks or shells.
  7. Pour water into the container. Don't forget this final touch! You want your arrangement to last as long as possible.

Trying Special Arrangements

  1. Make a Thanksgiving arrangement. Use orange, brown, yellow, and red flowers as well as Thanksgiving-themed decorative items to create a beautiful arrangement for your Thanksgiving table.
  2. Make an Easter arrangement. Pretty pastels and soft spring hues are the stars in this arrangement. Buy decorative eggs, bunnies, chicks, and other Easter decorations to accent your flowers.
  3. Make a summer centerpiece. Take advantage of the year's most colorful and bountiful flowers by crafting your own summer arrangement. This is the time of year to use lots of colors and big, bold shapes.
  4. Make a wedding arrangement. Use the bride's chosen colors and add wedding bells, lovebirds, or another sweet accent to make a beautiful wedding centerpiece.

Tips

  • Create small but dramatic arrangements by adding ferns and light, long-stemmed flowers to trumpet vases or parfait glasses. These arrangements can create a halo of flowers.
  • Use leaves, such as clematis or lilac, as accent greenery. You may be able to save money on fresh floral displays by cutting leaves from your own garden.
  • Secure fake floral arrangements by adding a dab of hot glue to each stem before you place it in the foam block. It is a good idea to do a few practice arrangements before creating permanent arrangements to save on materials.
  • Add fake berries to your floral arrangements for a bright accent. These are available in most craft stores in bunches.
  • Experiment with using colorful vases with colorful flowers. Instead of decorating a room with flowers in different colors, use flowers in the same hue with a vase that matches other décor.

Things You'll Need

  • Vase, basket or bowl
  • Flowers (fake, dried or fresh)
  • Ribbon
  • Newspaper or oilcloth
  • Buttons or glass pebbles
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue gun
  • Moss
  • Ferns
  • Foam block
  • Utility knife
  • Flower frog
  • Cellophane tape
  • Sketch pad
  • Colored pencils
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